What`s new in building energy research - desiccant cooling program

Desiccant cooling systems are energy efficient, cost effective, and environmentally safe. They are used as stand-alone systems or with conventional air-conditioning to improve the indoor air quality of all types of buildings. In these systems, a desiccant removes moisture from the air, which releases heat and increases the air temperature. The dry air is cooled using either evaporative cooling or the cooling coils of a conventional air conditioner. The absorbed moisture in the desiccant is then removed (the desiccant is regenerated, or brought back to its original dry state) using thermal energy supplied by natural gas, electricity, waste heat, or the sun. Commercially available desiccants include silica gel, activated alumina, natural and synthetic zeolites, lithium chloride, and synthetic polymers. Currently, desiccant cooling and dehumidification are being used successfully in industrial and some commercial applications. The Office of Building Technologies in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is working with industry to broaden the market for desiccant cooling so its full energy savings and indoor air quality improvement potential can be realized. The main goals of the Desiccant Cooling Program are to (1) Reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 5 million tons (4.5 million metric tons) annually by 2005 and 18 million tons (16.3 million metric tons) annually by 2010. (2) Reduce energy consumption by 0.1 quad (105.5 petajoules) annually by 2005 and 0.3 quad (316.5 petajoules) annually by 2010. (3) Capture 5% of the air-conditioning market by 2005 and 15% by 2010